Wyatt Johnston scores shootout winner as Stars beat Avs 2-1 to tighten race for top spot in league

Jake Oettinger made 33 saves through overtime as Dallas pulled within two points of Colorado in the standings.

Mar. 19, 2026 at 6:50am

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Wyatt Johnston scored the shootout winner and Jake Oettinger made 33 saves through overtime as the Dallas Stars beat the Colorado Avalanche 2-1 on Wednesday night. The win tightened the race for first place in the division, conference and league standings, with the Stars pulling within two points of the Avalanche atop the Western Conference.

Why it matters

The Stars and Avalanche have been battling for the top spot in the NHL all season, and this game was a crucial matchup between the two Central Division rivals. The outcome keeps the race for the division, conference and league titles wide open with just a few weeks left in the regular season.

The details

Jake Oettinger made 33 saves through overtime for the Stars, while Wyatt Johnston scored the lone goal in the shootout to give Dallas the win. Jason Robertson also scored in regulation for the Stars. Cale Makar scored on the power play to give Colorado an early 1-0 lead, but Robertson tied it in the second period. Both teams are dealing with key injuries, but approached the game with a playoff intensity.

  • The Stars (43-15-10, 96 points) pulled within two points of the Avalanche (44-13-10, 98 points) in the standings.
  • It's the closest any team has been to Colorado since Dec. 10.

The players

Jake Oettinger

The Stars' goaltender made 33 saves through overtime to earn the win.

Wyatt Johnston

The Stars' forward scored the shootout winner to give Dallas the victory.

Cale Makar

The Avalanche defenseman scored a power-play goal to give Colorado an early 1-0 lead.

Jason Robertson

The Stars' forward scored the game-tying goal in the second period.

Nathan MacKinnon

The Avalanche star forward was stopped by Oettinger in the shootout.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.